The present invention relates generally to a novel trailer body and more specifically to a novel floor construction used with trailer bodies or other channeled vehicular structures.
Trailers and the like, of the general type disclosed herein are well known and include a plurality of flexible conductors such as cables or air hoses and the like which extend from the back end of the trailer to the front end thereof, where they are connected to the appropriate components of a truck or other such towing vehicle. Generally, the conductors are positioned below the trailer's flooring. In the past the prior art disclosed, the use of substantially rectangular channeled housing formed with the trailer's flooring for receiving various conductors. However, this has been found to be unsatisfactory since it requires special, very expensive flooring material. It has also proved unsatisfactory since the various connectors are loose in the channeled housing and are easily damaged.
More recently, the prior art has disclosed the utilization of substantially U-shaped channeled housing located centrally within the trailer's flooring for receiving various connectors. This housing can be used with standard shiplap boards. However, this, too has been found to be unsatisfactory since the connectors are loose in the channeled housing and are easily damaged. Furthermore, spliced branch lines, such for example as wires to center marker lights must be located below the floor so that the splice and branch lines are exposed to the elements.
Accordingly, a general object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved floor assembly, for use in a trailer or other such vehicle which assembly is simple in design and economical to manufacture.
A more particular object of the present invention is to provide a novel floor construction having a novel housing into which elongated flexible conductors may be readily inserted and constructed to hold them in a fixed position to minimize the possiblity of damage thereto.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a channeled housing of the above stated type which provides easy access to the aforesaid cables, whereby to facilitate maintenance thereof.
Still another object is to provide a novel floor construction as described above in which wire, hoses or other connectors may be disposed along one or both sides of a trailer in a protected manner whereby to eliminate any need for exposed spliced branch lines beneath the trailer floor.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the following descriptions.